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Waveco Energy Services, United Sanitation Network, Roadwave LLC and the FAST Rig Support Co., along with landowner 4-P Realty Partners are seeking a use variance to build a frack water recycling facility on less than an acre of land on Meeker Outlet Road north of Sholtis Road.

Resident Diane Pilosi, who is a Lake-Lehman graduate along with her husband Vito and their three children, is concerned because the proposed facility is 300 feet from her house. She asked the board to send a letter to the Luzerne County zoning hearing board or the Lake Township supervisors saying they don't want it in the area.

Board President Mark Kornoski said the board will write a letter. Superintendent Jim McGovern also said he plans to write a letter to read at the June 3 hearing in front of the Luzerne County zoning hearing board.

"What you need to do is get more community support and go to the zoning (board) and present your case to them," Kornoski told Pilosi.

"We are," she said.

"And let everybody know â¦ this is not good for our area," board member James Welby added.

Meeker Outlet Road is a very narrow road, and to get to the facility, the frackwater trucks will have to cross a one-lane bridge in each direction, Pilosi said.

"The road is not built for that, and I believe there are three school buses that go through there every morning and every night," she said.

The roads are very curvy, and the bus stops are right at the end of the turns, she said. She is also worried about bicyclists on the roads, and teenage drivers on state Routes 29 and 118.

Pilosi said her property value will drop about 50 percent, and other people who live near the site will see theirs drop by 25 percent. She said if the project goes through, people will appeal their assessments, which means less property tax revenue for the district.

Asked by a resident if there would be any tax benefits to the district, Pilosi said there would be a slight tax increase for the acre where the facility would be located, but all the nearby home values will drop.

Welby said one thing that stuck in his mind was that the frackwater trucks would come in at all hours of the day and night.

"There's not going to be anybody there to offload this water, more likely than not," he said. "So these trucks â¦ are going to be sitting in the middle of the road, and here come our school buses with all our kids on them, he's coming around the corner, there's these radioactive water trucks - I think this whole community has to get together on this."

In other business, the board recognized varsity wrestling team members for their championship season, during which they won several district titles. Specifically cited were wrestlers Brady Butler, Derek Dragon, Austin Harry and Bobby Wright. Harry won a regional title and finished third in the state championships.

The board accepted, with regret, the retirement of Lake-Noxen Elementary teacher Maureen Doerfler, effective June 30.

"Many people will go through their professional career wondering, 'did I make a difference?'" McGovern said. "You don't have to wonder."

Joshua Scarbriel of Kingston was appointed head boys' volleyball coach and Brent Oliver III of Sweet Valley as assistant coach.

eskrapits@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2072

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